Why You Should Persevere and Not Give Up Just Yet

Have you ever been pushed to the wall, you just want to give up everything? Ever thought that if you decide to persevere just a little while longer, it would not kill you? How about the thought of quitting? Ever thought yours is worse than any other? Hang on my dear friend. Let me tell you my own story.

This morning on my way to work, I just kept having this thought within me as I watched people rushing and sighing. As I watched, I had this instinct that not all these people are happy about leaving for work. Not that they are not happy they are engaged at least, but they are not satisfied with what they are doing. I felt there are still some who are only working just for the sake of been employed.

As I ponder on this, I remembered the first job I got after my youth service. The pay was excellent, every fresh graduate will be glad. But let me hint you on the work schedule. I do not have a closing hour. According to our wonderful boss, it is a media job, media houses don’t close.

I have my usual resumption time, but whenever the boss feels you should resume earlier you just have to resume earlier, be it 6am or 7am irrespective of where you are coming from. So don’t dare travel out of town for the weekend without informing your boss. Aside this, you may be summoned to the office on a Saturday morning while trying to do your laundry or visit the salon or clean up your house. And trust me you have to be prompt, he cared less what you have to let go to race your ass down to the office. It will seem as though you all are walking on egg shells.

And while you are working, forget having time for personal errands. Even when boss is out of town, he keeps calling one staff to give the phone to another just so he is sure you all are in the office. And you can never close unless he leaves even when you have cleared all your to-do for the day!

Oh, I almost forgot to mention the fact that my boss likes sleeping in hotels instead of his own flat. There was this day he was indisposed and he called in sick but we had to move the printers, desktops, laptops and what have you to his hotel room where we all worked so late. Have you ever been in that situation, same room with your boss and you have a deadline to meet? My dear, food will be the last thing on your mind. And you can’t even pick a call.

Loads of other staff came and left me on the job. The highest some staff stayed was two months. I don’t even try to make friends while I was there because before you start getting used to them, they leave. They left not because the pay wasn’t mouth watering but because they couldn’t endured it. Many of these staff would call me and ask why I choose to stay back, I just smile and tell them, “I will, soon.” I spent 6 months there and eventually had to leave as well.

Why, you may ask? Did I get another job?

No but I had developed myself personally and it was time to seek better opportunities. I had learnt that life cannot be rosy at all times. I had persevere and I had grown.

So many times, I tried to leave though but each time I attempted to, the chaos that follows was always beyond me (story for another day). Hence, I told myself I will persevere this phase of my life and make sure I get something out of it before I quit.

I went a lot to take in coming from a fresh graduate who is just experiencing the corporate world. Those that saw me back then would testify to how horrible I looked because I hardly have time to sleep or take care of myself coupled with the inconsistent work schedule. But did I learn? Yes. Did I grow better? Yes. Was I damaged? A little but I healed better. I did persevere and I came out burnt but better.

What are you experiencing now? What challenges are you currently facing that makes you feel you can never be better? My dear, relax. Everything we face in life is a phase that will pass with time. Just try to make yourself a champion out of it and not a loser!

10 Comments

Amazing post!!!!! “You don’t know what you have until you have been pushed to the wall?” I remembered looking more than ridiculous to a lot of people when I took the appointment at Kebbi!!! There were breakings but mehn! I learnt a lot of lessons that would stick with me forever! Was burnt but came out better!!!! Well done love!?

So I went for a job interview today and got the job on the spot. But I had to turn down the offer because I decided to stick to where I am currently, not because I’m scared to leave but because I feel like I’ve not learnt what I need to move on just yet. Trust me, some friends thought I had lost my mind by turning it down but truth is I’m just not ready yet. When I’m ready to move, I’ll definitely know

I do understand this. Even though how my mind relates to this is quite the opposite of how it happened to you. I remember when i waited for so long to get a job and when I finally did, I was glad I didn’t get a job when I ‘wanted’ to because I wouldn’t have done well at it. The time I had spent waiting was a time I used to develop my mind and spirit unconsciously, and it was needed for the job.